A golf course slope rating is a measure of the relative difficulty of a golf course for amateur golfers compared to scratch golfers. A number between 55 and 155 indicates the expected difference in the average score of a scratch golfer and a bogey golfer on the course. The higher the slope rating, the more difficult the course is considered to be for a bogey golfer.
The slope rating takes into account several factors that can affect the difficulty of a golf course, including the length of holes, the size and placement of hazards, the speed and contour of greens, and the prevailing wind and weather conditions.
The slope rating is used by golfers to adjust their handicaps when playing on a course with a higher or lower slope rating than their home course. It allows golfers of different skill levels to compete on a level playing field by factoring in the relative difficulty of the course they are playing.